“FAR TOO HIGH”

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10664, 14 August 1928, Page 3

“FAR TOO HIGH”

MATERNITY HOSPITAL FEES

MAGISTRATE’S COMMENTS.

The fees charged bv one maternity hospital in Gisborne for child birtn were adversely commented upon by Mr. E. C. Lervev,. S.M., v.inen a young man, Gordon -Canham, appeared before him yesterday on a charge of failure to maintain an illegitimate child.

Senior-Sergt. McLean intimated that the police had incurred £lO 6s 3d expenses, in bringing defendant here and asked that Canham should be ordered to reimburse this amount in addition to incidental’ expenses for the birth of the child, winch had since died.

The Magistrate directed the attention of tlio .police to the hospital medical foes £l3 13s, which he contended was out of all reason. Tlie hospital must not, charge that sum against people who could not afford to pay. It did not matter whether it was this or any other man, the fees should be much less. What if the father could not he found and the girl was in indigent circumstances ?

Mr. J. S. Wauehop here interpolated that the matter of paternity fees had several tunes been discussed among the legal profession with the Court. It seemed that the hospital adopted the. attitude that, where the man could he found, he was made to pay the charges at the fujlrates, hut where the girl was likely to suffer the institution was prepared to make a substantial reduction. He, personally, had made representations to secure reductions in fees in several of these cases to the medical officer and tlio maternity home, and although ho had been met, he knew thev were “hard.”

Tlio Magistrate: Here is a man who is out of work and can’t get a suretv for the payment of fees, which are. in my opinion, far too high. I can’t do anything. 1 can only comment upon what' I think. “It’s going to cost you about £25 in all for this interlude: how are you going to pay it?” asked the S.M. of defendant. Canham said ho could obtain work near Hawera at from £2 10s to £.° per week, out of which he offered to pav £1 weekly towards the expenses. The Magistrate made an order fo>' the payment of £1 weekly and ordered defendant to report regularly to the police n.t Mn.naia..